Have You Heard? City Of GF Has New Policy For Renters

The City Of Great Falls Is Installing A New Billing System

Jason Laird told us in May that the City of Great Falls is installing a new billing system.

You can catch up on the City of Great Falls new billing system story here.

The City is working hard to get the system in play.  You probably got a temporary bill earlier this month like the one I got.

The City Of Great Falls Has A New Policy For Renters

Since I had been billed earlier, I was very surprised to get a letter from my landlords that contained a bill from the City of Great Falls with:

• My Landlord's address
• MY ACCOUNT NUMBER
• The total amount due of MY BILL
• My address as the service address

My landlord included a letter saying that from this month forward, The City of Great Falls would be sending my landlord bills and they would contact us with how much we owe.  I can tell my landlords were (understandably) frustrated.

I Assumed It Was A Temporary Thing Due To The Changeover

I thought, naw.  This must just be a way to make sure everyone has a real copy of their utility bill during the cross-over.  After all, I have the exact same bill right here that was mailed to me a couple of weeks ago. Plus, The City would INFORM citizens of a new policy before implementation.

So I called the city

The City Says, This Is The New Normal

I was told this is a new policy for renters because: Every time someone moves into a property, the city is required to send them a letter about having LEAD PIPES if the bill is in their name.  She said it was too much for the city to keep track of, so they don't have to do it if every account is under the landlord's name.

The gal I was talking to said that I was making too much of the change.  That she had a landlord that used to text her how much the bill was then she would pay. She said it's always been "their account" even though it had my name, my address, my social security number, my date of birth, etc. (This service agreement with the city asks for your SS# among other information that shouldn't be on someone else's account.) WTF? Seriously? This is like phase one of some dystopian nightmare.

Just look at this.  I circled the account number.  You can see both names and that they knew this on JULY 4, but just decided not to tell anyone.

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Making too much of it? It's always been their account?

Let me show you how this isn't me having a fit:

• The payments made on this account reflect MY CREDIT HISTORY.  Now, instead of that going to me and my history, in one day, they just transferred my payment record to my LANDLORD WITHOUT MY PERMISSION OR KNOWLEDGE. (Yes, I get that ultimately, the landlord would be stuck with the bill if I didn't pay it.  That DOESN'T make it their account.)
• The City is making it so that landlords all over Great Falls have to re-do lease agreements.  This means that it's a PRIME TIME and REASON to just raise rent again.  After all, you've made this their (the landlords) responsibility even though it was FINE the way it was.
• How many shady landlords will inflate the cost of utilities and get away with it because the tenant won't be able to see the bill because it's NOT IN THEIR NAME ANYMORE?
• How about garbage use? It was just a couple of weeks ago The City told me I could use the garbage cans in my alley IF I HAD AN ACCOUNT WITH THE CITY OF GREAT FALLS IN MY NAME FOR THAT ADDRESS.

You check out the article on who can use what City of Great Falls garbage can here

I find this quite disturbing.  If The City would have sent me a letter prior, telling me the plan and that MY ACCOUNT WOULD BE CANCELLED AND ADDED TO A NEW ACCOUNT, not use MY account and hand it over to my landlord, I'd probably been fine with it.  If it were a temporary situation, I'd have been fine with it.  To be told I'm over reacting and that the account was never mine to begin with, I'm not fine with it at all.  I'm hacked off beyond reason.

I asked 4 people here at work if they thought it was strange, and the resounding answer was yes.  It was quite strange.

I'd love to hear your take on this.  You can hit us up on app chat or email me here.